It’s Beau time: Missouri football lands Penn State transfer quarterback Beau Pribula

Posted by Admin December 23, 2024 Football

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It’s Beau time.

Missouri football has found its transfer quarterback, securing a commitment from Penn State transfer Beau Pribula on Sunday. The news was first reported by Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, and the Missouri football X account later posted confirmation that Pribula has signed. The Tigers have actively been trying to find a potential replacement for graduating starter Brady Cook, and Pribula will be joining the competition.

Pribula entered the portal on Dec. 16, drawing some national attention as he highlighted the inconvenient overlap between the December transfer portal window and the College Football Playoff, which the QB could have been a part of with PSU. The Nittany Lions won their first-round CFP matchup against SMU on Saturday.

Pribula reportedly visited the Tigers on Tuesday, and according to 247Sports national recruiting writer Matt Zenitz, the quarterback had drawn interest from Ole Miss, UCF, Iowa, and Indiana in addition to Mizzou.

The Tigers can get two years of eligibility out of Pribula, who spent the past two seasons at Penn State as a backup to Drew Allar, who recently announced he is returning to Happy Valley for the 2025 season. Pribula redshirted his freshman year.

The Nittany Lions frequently used Pribula in designed plays as a wrinkle in their offense, often coming in for red-zone and goal-to-go possessions due to his running ability. He has a little bit of Cook about him, listed at 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds with the look of a powerful runner.

Over the past two seasons, Pribula has taken 94 carries for 571 yards, which is more than 6 yards per attempt, and 10 touchdowns.

The main question Pribula will face will concern whether or not he’s ready to run an offense by himself, as he’s only attempted 56 career passes. He has completed 66.1% of those attempts, throwing for 11.5 yards per completion and recording nine passing touchdowns and one interception.

He’s likely to enter a competition for the starting job at Mizzou with returners Sam Horn and Drew Pyne.

The Tigers are set to return Horn, who is still recovering from offseason Tommy John surgery earlier this year but is expected to be able to participate in spring football practices and for Missouri baseball as a starting pitcher in 2025.

Pyne, who Mizzou brought in early in 2024 to back up Cook with Horn out, started Missouri’s win over Oklahoma in November and made multiple relief appearances as the Tigers’ starter was sidelined with various injuries over the course of the 2024 season.

Mizzou also has four-star prospect Matt Zollers signed in its Class of 2025, and the freshman out of Pennsylvania is due to arrive on campus in January. He sustained an ankle injury early in his senior season, but recent videos posted to social media show the incoming rookie back on the practice field.

Before Pribula signed, Missouri appeared to be in a two-horse race for USC transfer quarterback Miller Moss, who opted to head to Louisville instead. The rumor mill also tabbed Duke transfer Maalik Murphy and California transfer Fernando Mendoza as potential targets for the Tigers.

Cook, who has been Mizzou’s starter since the 2021 Armed Forces Bowl, is expected to play in Missouri’s Music City Bowl appearance against Iowa on Dec. 30. After that game, the St. Louis native will be out of eligibility.

Pribula is the 12th player Missouri has landed out of the transfer portal.

Mizzou has already signed Appalachian State defensive end Nate Johnson, Wake Forest offensive lineman Keagen Trost, Michigan offensive lineman Dominick Guidice, ULM running back Ahmad Hardy, Mississippi State wide receiver Kevin Coleman, Nebraska linebacker Mikai Gbayor, West Virginia linebacker Josiah Trotter, Virginia Tech safety Mose Phillips III, Northern Illinois safety Santana Banner, Stanford punter Connor Weselman and Northwest Missouri State defensive end Langden Kitchen.